GENRE
	Platformer
	DEVELOPER
	Namco
	PUBLISHER
	Namco
	LOCAL WIRELESS MULTI-PLAY
	No
	Wi-Fi/GLOBAL ONLINE MULTI-PLAY
	No
	MICROPHONE
	No
	BUY NOW AT

Pac-Pix was a neat game, but even its strongest supporters could agree that it was a tad underdeveloped. Namco went ahead and started developing this title that shares more in common with the console Pac-Man World titles than Pac-Pix, and plays a bit like Pac-Man World with Marble Madness thrown in.

The story of Pac 'n Roll involves a ghost from outer space has been freed from its prison, and curses the Pac-Clan to limbless lives. Coincidentally, the environments you must traverse are roly-poly Pac-Man friendly. The stylus-only controls make this a platformer distinct from those that have come before, but not necessarily superior.

visuals

An extremely competent 3D engine keeps track of Pac-Man through the various forest, castle, and fire stages. Backgrounds are nicely done, and the frame rate never suffers. While Super Mario 64 DS is still the most graphically intensive platformer on the DS, this is a close second. Large stages, huge slides, and the variety of textures are all highlights.

The camera stays fairly zoomed out during the action, and with easy to manipulate camera controls for the left and right handed, your perspective is largely your own choice. If a jump is giving you trouble, you can rotate the camera to give greater depth perception.

audio

Musically the game is decent all around. The tunes are reserved and don’t draw too much attention to themselves. In the Ghost House levels, there’s a spooky track, and in the jungle a more drum heavy tune. The boss music is appropriately intense, and in general, the music fits the game’s lighthearted mood. The highest praise I can give it is that it does not cause headaches or detract from gameplay.

The sound effects are ripped from previous Pac-Man games for activities such as dot and ghost munching. Rolling Pac-Man around with various powerups and on different surfaces results in different sounds, so Pac-Man on the water sounds different from Pac-Man in armor on the ground. Pac’n Roll takes a page from the Banjo-Kazooie school of voice-overs, with nonsense syllables accompanied by text. Unfotunately, Pac-Man sounds childish and whiny.

gameplay

Pac’n Roll is a 3D platformer controlled with the stylus. Pac-Man cannot jump, merely roll about. Long strokes can make Pac-Man dash, which will break open crates and assist in beating ghosts. Progress through the levels is frequently blocked by a gate requiring enough dots to continue. This isn’t a Banjo-Kazooie-esque collectathon though, and if all your heart desires is to beat the story mode, then no backtracking is required.

Pac’n Roll controls well enough, and seems to breeze by for most of the game. Encounters with ghosts are the largest complaint for the controls, as a specter appears on the lower screen that you must tap to escape from. This is better than instantly dying, but it is still an overzealous touch screen gimmick. For the first several hours of the game new concepts are introduced in manageable doses. Shifting platforms, springboards, slopes, wind, and other platforming staples are used to keep the various levels distinct; though not of exceptional length, the stages are generally well-constructed. However, as the game draws near its conclusion the safety net is suddenly thrown out and becomes frustratingly difficult without a curve. Expect to blow through your stockpile of extra lives in the last few stages.

For those looking to get more out of a less than lengthy game, each level has a challenge mode and time trial mode to unlock. These remixed versions of the stages provide training grounds and all-important extra lives so progress through the final boss is not as maddening. The challenge stages often have more puzzles and keep the game more interesting, so those who enjoyed the game the first time around can keep themselves entertained.

multiplayer

After collecting a modest number of gems you can unlock a dual screen version of the original Pac-Man for up to two players. The arcade original is great, and after a little adjustment the dual screen arrangement works fine. The two player is pass and play, so those expecting download play of the original game or party games a la Monkey Ball are out of luck.

overall

Pac’n Roll is a more fleshed out offering than Pac-Pix, and is a cut above most handheld games. It’s a competent 3D platformer with a great camera system and a well-implemented control mechanic. The game lacks in balance at times and doesn’t particularly dazzle, but is a decent addition to the growing catalogue of DS games. Gamers on the lookout for an original 3D platformer for the DS can safely buy Pac’n Roll, and others may want to give it a rent for a few afternoons of fun.

7.7/10